Memories
by Shinteo-5
Summary: Remembering a dream...


Memories

Harry leaned back on the bench where he had been sitting for the last half hour, his mind far from the party that was going on at the Burrow nearby. They had been cerebrating the wedding of Bill and Fleur, but Harry was not in the mood to join them.

"What will you think of this, Sirius?" Harry asked, tilling his head upwards, his eyes seeking out the Dog Star. Ever since Hermione told him about Sirius' namesake, Harry found himself looking for it every time he's outdoor and the sky is clear.

"Bill and Fleur. Can you believe that?" Harry chuckled, "And they chose to hold their wedding now, when the world is falling apart. Wonder if Mon and Dad did the same thing too…"

"What are you doing, Harry?"

Harry recognized Hermione's voice and smiled, but he did not look down.

"Just a little Astronomy," He replied, his eyes still scanning the sky.

Hermione sat down beside him, carefully placing the two glasses of butterbeer between them.

"There. Just above that tree," Hermione said, pointing out the star that sat, just barely visible, over one of the trees at the end of the garden.

"How do you know what I'm looking for," Harry asked, looking in the direction indicated and picking out the Dog Star almost at once.

"I know you, Harry." Hermione replied with a toss of her head. "The only Astronomy that you would do these days is looking for him."

"Do you think I'm going crazy, wanting to see that star every time we're outside?" Harry asked, picking up one of the glasses.

"Of course not," Hermione replied. "It shows that he is still alive in your heart."

They sat, sipping their Butterbeer in contented silence, while Harry turned the thought over in his head.

"You know, I talk to him sometimes, when I see the Star" Harry said at last.

"Really? Like what," Hermione smiled, turning towards him.

"Oh, small things, really." Harry answered. "Things I thought he might like to know. Like this wedding. I was just telling him about it before you appeared."

Hermione did not say anything, sensing that Harry just needed to talk, to say out loud what he was thinking.

"I spoke to him almost all the time when I was at the Dursleys," He continued. "I would sneak out of the house at night to the roof and sit there, just talking to him. Somehow, I felt that he could hear me."

Hermione reached out and took hold of his hand. Harry did not seem to notice.

"Then I had this dream. The most incredible dream I ever had."

"Not another nightmare?" Hermione could not keep herself from asking.

"It started out the same way," Harry replied. "You know, at the Ministry. I saw the room where the portal with the veil is. Sirius and Bellatrix were dueling. Just like that day."

Harry was shaking a little, as he relived that memory. Hermione pulled him a little closer, setting aside her glass.

"They were dueling, and he was taunting her, when she cast some kind of spell and Sirius just fell back, into the veil, and was gone."

Hermione had an arm around him by this time, trying to comfort him.

"That's when the dream changed." Harry had stopped shaking, and now a note of wonder appeared in his voice.

"Bellatrix just disappeared, and suddenly I was beside the portal, and I heard Sirius' voice." Harry's voice lowered, almost to a whisper. Hermione had to lean close to hear what he was saying.

"He told me how proud he was of me, and how glad he was that he had met me. Told me not to waste my time in mourning and that he was happy there, with my Dad and Mom and all his friends that had gone on before. Told me there isn't much time until Voldemort came for me and that I should prepare myself. He also said to live life to the fullest, and don't allow any Dark Lord to spoil the memories of the limited time we have left in Hogworts."

"'_The prophecy is already made, and there's nothing you can do about it.'_ He said_. 'You better not allow that gloomy mood that you had last year to follow you around this year, you hear? Ron and Hermione had to endue that for one year. Do not repeat it again or I'll box your ears when you come over!_'"

Hermione smiled at that. It sounded like something Sirius would say.

"I assured him that I would not allow my temper to get the better of me again. Then he sighed and said, '_Look. You don't have to feel guilty for my death, you know. I died doing what I wanted to do, on my feet, fighting to protect my godson. It's not that more time to spend with you would be a bad thing, but if I happen to leave before you, that's the way I wanted to go.'"_

_ "'But if I did not rush my way there, and checked properly like Hermione said I should, you wouldn't be dead!' _I cried out. _'I walked right into the trap Voldemort set for me and you paid the price! It's not fair!'"_

_ "' Don't worry about it.' _He told me. _'I chose to go, and I know very well what might happen. I don't blame you, so why should you blame yourself?'"_

_ "' But I…'"_

_ "'No buts! Just promise me one thing.'"_

_ "'Of course. Anything!'"_

_ "' Just promise me that you will kill that bastard and live to tell the story to your grandchildren'"_

_ "' Who knows if I'll even live to get married…'"_

_ "' Harry!'"_

_ "' Yeah, I know. I promise.'"_

_ "'Hmm… Alright. I'll let you off with that…' _He laughed then, _'I don't think you need to worry about not getting married though. From what I can see, you should not have a problem finding someone to settle down with.'"_

_ "'Oh? Like who?'"_

_ "'I don't know… maybe Hermione?'"_

_ "'What? Come off it. You not still hung up over that Rita Skeeter's article, are you?'"_

_ "'Ok, ok… What about that Weasley girl, what's her name again?... Ginny? She seemed pretty interested in you'"_

_ "'Nah… She's over that already. Hermione told me.'"_

_ "'Well… I wouldn't worry. You have tons of girls just waiting for you to choose!'"_

_ "'Sirius…"'_

_ "'Fine, fine… Can't you take a joke?"'_

_ "'Not when the joke's not my love life, or lack thereof."'_

_ "'Alright then, I'll stop making fun of you. But really, you should not let what happened in the past dictate your future. All that gloom and doom does not fit you, you know."'_

_ "' Yeah, I know. I'll have to apologize to Ron and Hermione, not to mention the Order and professor Dumbledore. I think I made their job much harder then it has to be…'"_

_ "'It's alright, I'm sure they all understand.'"_

"There was this scratching sound then, like talons on glass."

_"' I have to go now. It's almost time for you to wake up.'"_

_ "'Will I see you again, here?'"_

_ "'I don't think so. You don't need me here anymore.'"_

_ "'I'll miss you, Sirius.'"_

_ "'I know. Me too.'"_

_ "' Bye then.'"_

_ "'Goodbye. See you on the other side. When you're 150 years old. No younger, you hear!'"_

_ "'Got it.'"_

"And that is when I woke up and saw the school owl outside my bedroom, bearing Dumbledore's letter to tell me that he's coming to fetch me." By now, Harry's voice was like a whisper, and his head was rested on Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione considered Harry's story. So that's why he did not seem upset when she mentioned Sirius' name when they met at the Burrows. But something is still brothering her, and she decided to ask Harry directly.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you really think that I would not make a good girlfriend to you?"

"Wha…" Harry, surprised, lifted up his head to look at Hermione, knocking over his glass in his haste. "Why did you ask that?"

"Well…" She found that she could not meet Harry's eyes. "You don't seem interested in me as a girlfriend…"

"…Hermione, I'm sure you'll be a wonderful girlfriend. But why are you asking me this? You mean…"

"Oh no… That is…" She sighed, trying to collect her thoughts. "I just… you seem happy with Ginny, and Ron was with Lavender for so long, but I had no one…"

"But didn't Ron break up with Lavender? I thought…"

"Yes, they did. But they were together for a few months. I didn't even last one date…"

"You mean the Christmas party?"

"Yeah… I'm starting to wonder if I'll end up old and lonely in some old cottage somewhere…"

"I don't think you need to worry. You're the smartest girl I ever known, and you're not so bad on the eye either. There'll be sure to be someone for you."

"Thanks Harry." She smiled then. "That made me feel so much better."

"No problem." He glanced sideways towards her. "And I think you would make a good girlfriend to me, really."

"Wha…"

"I mean… you are just about the only person who can stand me in my bad mood after all…"

"Oh…"

They sat silent then, engross in their own thoughts.

"Oi! Harry! Hermione! You guys out there?" Ron's voice shouted, breaking them out of their thoughts.

"What is it?" Harry yelled back.

"They're starting the exploding snap tournament. Come back in, will'ya."

Harry sighed, then stood up and brushed himself off. "Come on, we better get back before they send out a search party."

"Ok." Hermione nodded, standing up. "Let go then."

Tomorrow, the hunt for Voldemort's horcruxes began, but for now, he can still enjoy the peaceful and joyous occasion as they cerebrate the joining of two lives.

End


End file.
